Help - going to Geneva

[Humble michael]

Hi my wife and I are going to Geneva on Sat. Sept 8thru the 10th. Can someone who has been there tell us what we should see while we are there. I have a small collection of several Pateks and so we are thinking of going to the PatekMuseum on Sat.Shoud we get tickets in advance ? Any better ideas or suggestions ? Also any recommendations on hotel? Thanks, james

[PatekSF]

http://www.hotel-les-armures.ch would be a great place to stay. Very nice, great/safe location, reasonably priced.

Obviously the PP salon is a MUST!

[Humble michael]

Well we booked our stay at the NvY Hotel. We will be there on the 8th(Sat) thru the 10th of Sept. thanks for your response. We are celebrating our anniversary. I enjoy 6 PP and my wife has a ladies Ellipse. So what else should we see while there? Any recommendations for restaurants? Thanks

[jon_jon]

Patek Museum is quite nice and you can easily spend a few hours there.

Some people who have visited the Patek Salon first have reveived free ticket vouchers to the Museum. Also if you tell your Patek AD that you are visiting Geneva, your AD may have these free museum tickets as well.

Enjoy Geneva as it is a great city to visit

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

Patek Museum is quite nice and you can easily spend a few hours there.

Some people who have visited the Patek Salon first have reveived free ticket vouchers to the Museum. Also if you tell your Patek AD that you are visiting Geneva, your AD may have these free museum tickets as well.

Enjoy Geneva as it is a great city to visit

wearing a Patek should be automatic admission for free

seriously though it should

[CamSLC]

I was there with my girlfriend in December. The Living room and Fiskbar at the Ritz are amazing. The actual Bar that they ask you to wait in at Fiskbar is one of the most beautiful old world glamorous libation rooms I've been in. There is a little "Cottage Cafe" in Brunswick square we really enjoyed.

The pubs, small restaurants and little shops near the Cathedral were a real joy to walk through and people watch. It's really a stunning city. Enjoy your trip and have a Happy Anniversary

There is a very cool pre-owned watch store someone here mentioned called Ponti Collection. Well worth it to drop in, Stan was very accommodating.

[codecow]

I liked Mandarin Oriental.

[Sonzy]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

wearing a Patek should be automatic admission for free

seriously though it should

Yes it would be a very good marketing buz

[Snow-Dweller]

Eat at L’Entrecote...my favourite Geneva restaurant

[benlee]

Originally Posted by james272

Hi my wife and I are going to Geneva on Sat. Sept 8thru the 10th. Can someone who has been there tell us what we should see while we are there. I have a small collection of several Pateks and so we are thinking of going to the PatekMuseum on Sat.Shoud we get tickets in advance ? Any better ideas or suggestions ? Also any recommendations on hotel? Thanks, james

To be honest, Geneva is mostly about watches. It's the city for watch lovers. That's what I go there for. You should visit the Patek museum since you own several pateks. And of course drop by the Patek Salon. Along Rue Du Rhone are lots all the watch boutiques. Nearly all the brands have flagship boutiques there. Some of the smaller independent brands also have workshop and ateliers based in Geneva city.

Other than watches, I think other attraction includes the UN headquarters but that one is a boring place. Nothing much to see. F&B in Geneva is average and the price is expensive. There are the usual gardens, cathedrals but nothing much you can find better than Zurich or other major European cities.

For hotel, depend on your budget. Top choice includes all the usual suspects, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and the newly revamped Ritz Carlton. Get one with a Geneva lake view if you can. It's quite nice at night and all light up.

[Humble michael]

Thanks so much all. I have found they have private tours of the museum for 220 franks, thinking of doing that. They say that they have a huge no of people on the regular guided tour and it is always full. Not sure which to do.

[benlee]

Originally Posted by james272

Thanks so much all. I have found they have private tours of the museum for 220 franks, thinking of doing that. They say that they have a huge no of people on the regular guided tour and it is always full. Not sure which to do.

You mean the Patek Museum?

[Dr.Teatime]

My AD got my family a private guided tour of the museum. You really should ask your AD.
I would suggest an email to Romain Gauthier & Kari Voutilainen for tours of their atelier's in the area. I really enjoyed our trip- but needs a little planning.

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by james272

Thanks so much all. I have found they have private tours of the museum for 220 franks, thinking of doing that. They say that they have a huge no of people on the regular guided tour and it is always full. Not sure which to do.

I had a private tour of the museum during the Patek factory tour. But the first time I visited the museum, I walked through the museum on my own without a tour guide. Just like visiting any other museum, it depends on how much time you have and how much you are looking to get out of the experience.

One floor of the museum is dedicated historical watchmaking and clockmaking. Another floor is dedicated to Patek pocket watches and another floor is about Patek wristwatches.

[Ichiran]

Originally Posted by benlee

To be honest, Geneva is mostly about watches. It's the city for watch lovers. That's what I go there for. You should visit the Patek museum since you own several pateks. And of course drop by the Patek Salon. Along Rue Du Rhone are lots all the watch boutiques. Nearly all the brands have flagship boutiques there. Some of the smaller independent brands also have workshop and ateliers based in Geneva city.

Other than watches, I think other attraction includes the UN headquarters but that one is a boring place. Nothing much to see. F&B in Geneva is average and the price is expensive. There are the usual gardens, cathedrals but nothing much you can find better than Zurich or other major European cities.

For hotel, depend on your budget. Top choice includes all the usual suspects, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and the newly revamped Ritz Carlton. Get one with a Geneva lake view if you can. It's quite nice at night and all light up.

Nice write up.

If this is my first visit to Geneva, how many days would you reckon if my main purpose is to visit the Patek museum, salon, other boutiques, art museums (?), parks, cathedrals and the UN HQ?

[Calatrava r]

Go by the Patek salon and be prepared to jump on an opportunity should it arise.

[Humble michael]

Well I stopped by my friend PP AD the other day to get ideas. He couldn’t or wouldn’t offer any help. Even though I have 6 Pp , including a 5711, a 5126 And a 5164 r as well as 4 Rolexes ( which he is also an AD for), there was no interest in helping me to get a special tour. I would have paid them back whatever it might cost them. I even mentioned they are charging me 245 fr’s for a private tour. Ha! Now I know why I won’t buy from them - funny I expect a retailer to earn a customer’s business. Oh well ��

[watchucallit]

The other thing to see if you have time is CERN. The big supercollider.
You can take a train and pass by Lake Geneva and visit a few very nice towns not too far away.

[Humble michael]

Wow might just do that thanks

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by james272

Well I stopped by my friend PP AD the other day to get ideas. He couldn’t or wouldn’t offer any help. Even though I have 6 Pp , including a 5711, a 5126 And a 5164 r as well as 4 Rolexes ( which he is also an AD for), there was no interest in helping me to get a special tour. I would have paid them back whatever it might cost them. I even mentioned they are charging me 245 fr’s for a private tour. Ha! Now I know why I won’t buy from them - funny I expect a retailer to earn a customer’s business. Oh well ��

You are over-thinking this tour. It is just a museum. Just pay the 10 Swiss Francs entrance fee and enjoy the museum on your own. If you really want to learn more, then purchase the books on the Patek Museums and/or spend the 245 Swiss Francs for a guided tour.

If you purchased at least one of your 6 Pateks from an AD, the AD you purchased it from would be more than happy to help you because you are an existing client. But a random AD is not going to get you a "special tour" to save you 245 Swiss Francs. Also a random salesperson at an AD has probably never been to Geneva nor is even aware there is such a place as a Patek Museum. Usually only the AD owner or manager would have even been to Geneva for training. So the salesperson probably had no idea what you were talking about with the guided tour of the Museum.

[Humble michael]

Yep thanks for the advice

[Humble michael]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

I had a private tour of the museum during the Patek factory tour. But the first time I visited the museum, I walked through the museum on my own without a tour guide. Just like visiting any other museum, it depends on how much time you have and how much you are looking to get out of the experience.

One floor of the museum is dedicated historical watchmaking and clockmaking. Another floor is dedicated to Patek pocket watches and another floor is about Patek wristwatches.

So Jon how did you get a factory tour ?? Tks

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by james272

So Jon how did you get a factory tour ?? Tks

If you purchase a lot of Patek watches from one AD, they will invite a group of collectors to visit Patek HQ and factory in Geneva. "A lot of watches" depends on the size of the AD and the sales volume of the AD. So no one can tell you how many watches or how much you have to spend. This is a way for the AD and Patek to thank the loyal customers, along with getting LE or hard to get watches for them. A number of forum members have been invited and have done the factory tour and I am sure others will receive an invitation in the future for a special once in a lifetime experience.

[benlee]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Nice write up.

If this is my first visit to Geneva, how many days would you reckon if my main purpose is to visit the Patek museum, salon, other boutiques, art museums (?), parks, cathedrals and the UN HQ?

Thanks. I reckon 2 days is more than enough. Geneva is not a big city.

[Humble michael]

Well, as it stands we have hotel reservations with NvY arriving on Sat Sept 8 w
Private PP Museum tour at 11:30, done at 2:30. We also have an apt at 10:30 AM at PP Salon on Mon. We leave Mon PM. Any suggestions for what to see on Sun? We have plans to eat at Entrecôte and also Mandarin Oriental. Monday evening we are back in London for until Thurs. Any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks

[Ichiran]

Originally Posted by benlee

Thanks. I reckon 2 days is more than enough. Geneva is not a big city.

Thanks Ben!

[Racerdj]

I stayed at the Mandarin Oriental which was walking district to the Patek Salon. Fantastic hotel! Be sure to allow at least half a day for the museum. There are plenty of other watch stores to stop in too.

[starship33]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

If you purchase a lot of Patek watches from one AD, they will invite a group of collectors to visit Patek HQ and factory in Geneva. "A lot of watches" depends on the size of the AD and the sales volume of the AD. So no one can tell you how many watches or how much you have to spend. This is a way for the AD and Patek to thank the loyal customers, along with getting LE or hard to get watches for them. A number of forum members have been invited and have done the factory tour and I am sure others will receive an invitation in the future for a special once in a lifetime experience.

Or another way is to buy directly at the Salons. If you are a French speaker and a client of Geneva or Paris Salons, you can also do something called « Atelier 215 », you spend an afternoon in the watchmaker training center in Geneva HQ to learn how to disassemble and reassembled the 215 movement. I did it and it was super great.

[Humble michael]

Thanks Racer